How To: Spare A Life

The Deal

Saihara's p.o.v.
Someone nearby had heard the commotion and phoned the police. I had descended the building by the time they arrived and saw that they were just as surprised and shocked as I was at the sight before them.

I have to help him. I raced towards the small crowd to explain the situation as I tripped and fell through one of the officers. It was as if I wasn't even there. Like I was a ghost. Am I . . . am I dead? As fear overtook my body I found myself speeding down the rows of street signs and houses towards my new destination.

I arrived home and burst into my bedroom surprised that I could still interact with some solid objects but even more stunned that I now stood face-to-face with an exact clone of myself. What's happening? Am I going crazy? I had so many questions, but the "other me" seemed to be unfazed by the events talking place. How could they act like this was so normal? I needed answers.

"Wh-"

"Saihara? Pleasure." He spoke calmly and almost sounded bored. "You probably have a lot you want to say and ask. I'm you're subconscious, I guess you could say, but in a physical form. And I'm here to make a deal with you."

"Wait so yo- why ar- when . . . did-?"

"So," he continued as if I hadn't spoken. "Here we go. I'm going to present you with two choices."

"Wait. What are you talking about?"

"You choose. You can continue this life slowly being filled to the brim with regret and sorrow."

"Or . . ." I realized that he wasn't going to answer me and just decided to play along.

"Or . . . you can have an opportunity to become someone who matters."

"But that . . . that doesn't make any sense."

"It does if you listen to what I'm explaining." It was unsettling how patient they were being with me. "Con-"

"Continue my life now as it is. I got that part. What do you mean 'someone who matters'?"

With a sigh they replied. " You can continue you're life or risk it to save another."

"Anoth- wait! Do you mean-?! But that's not possible."

"You're talking to your subconscious after accidentally murdering a famous criminal and literally being walked through and you're going to tell me what is and isn't possible."

"So it is?"

"If you want it to be. That's why I'm here." He replied in a casual tone.

"I do!" The words had seemed to form on there own and just poured out of me before I could even process that I'd thought of it.

"There will be side effects, of course, just be aware of th-"

"I don't care!" I shouted. "If it can be done then just do it!" Why is this suddenly so important to me?

"Alright. Just don't say I didn't warn you. I'll explain it along the way then, I guess."

"Okay! Just get it over with already!" But why?

"This will likely be quite painful."

"Alrig- Ahhh!"

"Ahhh!" I awoke with a start once again to find myself in my bedroom. I was completely fine. What the hell?

A sharp pain then shot throughout my entire body as I made an attempt to sit upright like a wave of electricity. This caused everything to ache now. Okay, that was officially the weirdest dream I've ever had.

It wasn't a dream.

"But there's no way I could ever kill someone. Not even if they were a cri-"

But you still believe me. The voice rang through my head like a siren stopping for a short pause before continuing. Why else would you be trying to fight me, or rather, yourself, off? To shelter yourself from the reality of it all. You're overwhelmed. I get it.

Is that true? Am I a killer?

No. Not yet.

"How d-?"

Subconscious, remember? I know what you're thinking. Anyways, your right wrist should now have a marking on it if you still don't believe me.

Sure enough, there was. On the inside of my wrist where my watch usually found itself at home was a date and time in black ink. Is it a . . . tattoo?

Yes. This will show you when the death is scheduled for. He explained. You're task is simple: prevent it. To do that you must rewrite the future in such a way that it impacts both of you. Make sense?

"Got it." I was determined to change his fate. But, why? I barely know him. "What's the catch?" I was rather but not stupid, an opportunity such as this had to come with a price.

Your memories.

"Wh-what do you mean?" A part of me was scared to find out.

I mean in order to allow you to continue going back and changing memories, I'm going to randomly take yours in exchange. Now, I don't think that you'll fix all this on the first try so be prepared. It can be anything from what you aye yesterday to your best friend's name. Eventually you'll be nothing but a shell, so be wise about this. And because I'm feeling generous this time won't have any consequences.

This was all so much to take in. Could I forget who I am?

Yes, unfortunately. Oh, right, subconscious. I can even take core memories, such as your ability to walk, leaving you paralyzed. So I'll leave you with just one question. There was a short pause and then he continued. Is losing your life worth sparing another?

"I . . ." This is crazy. I'm crazy. Was I really going to do this all for something I barely even kn- "Yes."

I hadn't even realized I'd said it. The answer just formed in my mouth and left silence as it presented itself. I could no longer feel the presence of the other voice and breathed a quiet sigh of relief before checking the marking once more:

10/07
9:43pm

How am I ever going to pull this off?
Word count:1000